People with family and friends living abroad are faced with the constant problem of sending money to their loved ones. The challenge is usually finding a method they can use to transfer money without having to incur the high transaction costs or wait for days before the transfer is processed and completed. If you are in need of sending money abroad, the good news is that there are several methods you can use to transfer money at a cheaper rate and without delays. One of the best techniques on how to send money abroad cheaper is by use of Foreign exchange companies, also known as Forex or FX companies.

What is a Forex company?

Forex companies are companies whose main purpose is to offer international money transfer services. To do this, Forex companies use every aspect of currency exchange, and sometimes the even result to physical delivery of the cash to the receiver.

Advantages of FX companies

While banks are usually a safe bet when conduction any financial transaction, they are very problematic when it comes to sending money abroad. More often than not, banks will charge very high transaction fees and offer low exchange rates. The process is also characterized by long delays. In addition, you might have to open an account with a bank to enjoy their international money transfer service. These constraints only serve to make the process longer and more expensive.

FX companies are a better alternative when it comes to sending money abroad for the following reasons:

– FX companies charge very low transaction fees and some top companies even offer the service for free.
– Forex companies offer better exchange rates than banks. While most banks have an exchange rate margin that goes as high as 5%, FX companies’ margins can go as low as 0.5%.
– Unlike most banks, Forex companies do not have any hidden fees. You will always have a clear picture of how much you are paying before sending money.
– FX companies transactions are quicker (approximately 48 hours to send money anywhere in the world) compared to banks, which can take as long as 8 days.
– Sending money abroad with FX companies usually just requires you to go online and make the transaction, while with you must be physically present and undergo a lengthy process when using banks.

Sending money through a Forex broker

Here is how you can send money abroad cheaper using FX companies:

– Chose a favorable FX company to use based on your current location and the location of the recipient. You can do this comparing the services offered by different companies on the Internet.
– Open an account with the FX Company you have chosen. However, you should ensure that the website of the company is secured to guarantee the security of your account and personal information.
– Login into the website to check the exchange rates being offered.
– If you are satisfied with the rates, you can go ahead and send money. If you are not satisfied with the rates, you can always wait until they fluctuate to a favorable rate: most online interfaces used by these companies have exchange rates alert system that you can use.

Other ways to send money abroad at cheaper rates

Apart from Forex companies, there are other methods you can use to send money abroad at cheaper rates. They include:

Online accounts

Online accounts such as AlertPay and PayPal offer international money transfer services, with the transactions taking a few hours to a few days. With this accounts, you can send money by either using account to account transfer or bank to online account transfer. Transfer using online accounts is very cheap, and in some countries it is free.

Using wiring sites

Online wiring sites, for example, Western Union and Money Gram, offer international money transfer services to several locations around the world. Transactions using these sites are very fast, and they charge an amount of the money you are sending. The fees are higher than those practiced by the FX companies in 90% of the cases.

Sending pre-paid credit cards

Another trick of sending money abroad cheaper is by sending the recipient a pre-paid credit card that has the money. Credit card services such as MasterCard and Visa offer pre-paid credit cards, which you can load with funds and send to the recipient through post mail. The recipient will then access the funds by withdrawing them from their local ATM machine.

Conclusion

Having cash and not being able to send it to your desired location abroad due to high transaction charges is very frustrating. However, you can now be able to send money abroad without having to worry about high feesor lengthy delays by using the above money transfer solutions.

Razvan has a Master degree in Strategic Marketing and is heavily invested in online marketing for more than 5 years. But in the free time he loves to play team sports, read the latest finance news and drink artisanal beers. His latest project is SendMoneyAustralia.com.